The Steelers have released their first depth chart of the season and it does not include running back Rico Dowdle among the starters.
Some might have expected the Steelers to go with a dual listing of Jaylen Warren and Dowdle at the top of their backfield, but the Steelers have opted to go with Warren as the No. 1 and Dowdle as the No. 2. Dowdle signed a two-year contract with the team as a free agent this offseason while Warren is in his fifth year with the team.
The listing could remain the same into the regular season, but the Steelers are planning on roles for both backs and that could make their standing on the depth chart a moot point come the fall.
Another spot that has been closely watched this offseason is backup quarterback and the Steelers list Mason Rudolph ahead of Will Howard for the spot behind Aaron Rodgers. Third-round pick Drew Allar is listed at the fourth spot and his draft position makes him likely to make the team, so the Steelers could be parting ways with whoever loses out for the No. 2s spot on the depth chart.

#dowdle #depth #team #year

A troublesome reality is staring down Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren, who is seemingly primed for a smaller role in 2026.
Per Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Rico Dowdle has emerged as the RB1 early in training camp, which isn't exactly great news for Warren heading into Year 5.
"Now 4 practices into camp, a couple of offensive depth chart declarations seem clear: Rico Dowdle is RB1 over Jaylen Warren, Roman Wilson is WR3 (well ahead of Germie Bernard)," Adamski wrote via X.
Warren spent the first three seasons of his career behind Najee Harris as a solid RB2 before emerging as the starting running back in 2025. Over the past four seasons, Warren has recorded 3,859 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns, including an impressive career average of 5.3 yards per touch.
Dowdle, who previously spent time with new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy on the Dallas Cowboys, is on the verge of history heading into 2026, as he could become the first running back to record three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with three different teams.

#pittsburgh #jaylen

Last season, 17 NFL running backs rushed for at least 1,000 yards and it further illustrates that the value of the running back position is increasing across the league. Having said that, the number of true feature backs in the league who don't split carries with another back and are the workhorse are somewhat rare.
This trait is what sets these 12 backs from the rest. Guys who carry the water for their respective team's rushing attacks, impact the passing game and rarely come off the field. As for the Pittsburgh Steelers running back tandem of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, they are talented backs and should do well this season but don't crack this list.
No back in the NFL brings what Bijan Robinson does in the NFL. Robinson played a league-best 860 snaps and is the true workhorse back in the league. Robinson just glides with the football and his effortless in making big plays. The Falcons will once again run everything through Robinson as he maintains his spot as the best back in the NFL.
Gibbs takes the No. 2 spot here because he's so electric with football in his hands and is one of the best in the league at taking over games when the Lions need him. We actually expect Gibbs to improve on his 1,223 rushing yards in 2025.
If Christian McCaffrey could stay healthy for a full season, he might be the No. 1 back in the NFL. However, when he's on the field, he's lightning in a bottle and maybe the best dual-threat running abck in the league.

Running backs frequently make or break fantasy seasons. Drafting one bargain improves playoff odds. Drafting two improves ******* le odds. Here are three of the biggest RB fantasy bargains in the AFC North based on average draft position (ADP).
The Derrick Henry era doesn’t appear to be winding down, at least statistically. The 32-year-old future Hall of Famer pulled a Tom Brady of sorts: moving to a new team late in his career and then posting some of the best numbers of his career. He’s been a perfect fit in Baltimore. He’s also had six 300+ touch campaigns these past seven years and endured his worst broken-tackle rate last season.
Some might ignore it all and say, “He’s Derrick Henry. That’s all I need to know.” But at some point in aging players’ careers, their backups deserve better value. The market disagrees. Longtime Raven Justice Hill has an RB70 ADP. Teammate Rasheen Ali is sitting at RB80. Fifth-round rookie Adam Randall (RB83) was a converted wide receiver who amassed only 172 carries in college.
Even with Henry on full blast in 2025, Hill was the RB57 in points per game, while teammate Keaton Mitchell was the RB74. So if Henry remains a 17-game monster workhorse (i.e., no injuries), we should ******* ume that Hill and/or Ali will finish better than their ADPs. Both also are lottery tickets if Henry is forced to miss time. Essentially, Hill and Ali are nothing-to-lose bargains with significant upside if they’re thrust into more prominent roles.
Is Kaleb Johnson finished in the NFL after only one season? Of course not. The 2025 third-rounder had a major letdown last year. He was coming off a 262-touch college campaign that nearly doubled his career total. Now he’s operating behind entrenched #1 or co-#1 Jaylen Warren and free-agent signing Rico Dowdle. Johnson’s ADP is all the way down at RB105. It’s not uncommon for things to start clicking for Day 2 picks in Year 2 or beyond. Johnson still has time to get going.

One of the Pittsburgh Steelers' biggest moves this offseason, signing multiple-time 1,000 yard rusher Rico Dowdle, is flying under the radar as we inch closer to training camp.
From now to the start of the regular season, we at Steelers Wire will be ***** yzing every player on the roster. Here's a look at Dowdle and what could be in store for his 2026 season.
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 215 pounds
Age: 28

NFL Week 18 could be considerably lucrative for players with incentive-based contracts, including Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers standout Keenan Allen.
Darnold could hit a $1 million jackpot with three touchdown passes and 150 yards passing against the San Francisco 49ers in a battle for the NFC West. Darnold has 3,850 yards through the air and 25 touchdowns with notable escalators in his contract.
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle is active for the finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which means he ca

With most season-long Fantasy leagues now complete, daily Fantasy football takes an even bigger spotlight during the Week 18 NFL schedule. The first slate comes on Saturday as Panthers vs. Buccaneers (-2.5, 44) is a 4:30 p.m. ET and Seahawks vs. 49ers (+1.5, 49.5) is at 8 p.m. ET. Both games carry heavy implications for the NFL playoff picture, so you don't have to worry about starters resting or teams holding back on this slate.
With big names like Christian McCaffrey, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rico Dowdle and Bucky Irving in the NFL DFS player pool, how should you craft your NFL DFS lineups? Befo